Pragmata Has My Attention, Horizon-esque Adventure Performs Well on Switch 2

I’d like to issue an apology to Pragmata. As intrigued as I was by the game’s original reveal, that interest almost entirely waned in the six years that followed.

Even when the title resurfaced last year, it wasn’t enough to stir that initial intrigue within me. It was easier to write Pragmata off as yet another cliché sci-fi release that would come and go with very little fanfare. I’ll admit when I’m wrong though, and it’s true what they say: you should never judge a book by its cover. I recently had the opportunity to go hands-on with Pragmata - or take a glance within its pages, if you will - and I’ve somehow been left with the impression that it could be one of 2026’s most promising releases.

Yes, I’ll eat my own words. Pragmata is far from the cliché I originally assumed, offering up a surprisingly original gameplay loop that’s quick to grab your attention. It’s certainly a formula that’ll appear to fans of Starfield and Mass Effect, although I’d say that Pragmata is an entirely different kettle of fish, especially as the game has the unique benefit of launching on Nintendo Switch 2.

Hands-On With Pragmata on the Nintendo Switch 2

It’s for this reason that I had the chance to go hands-on with Pragmata, with the game’s Nintendo Switch 2 port forming part of the line-up during a recent trip to Nintendo of Europe’s headquarters. It is a demo that you can, in fact, freely play on PC storefront Steam, so I’m loath to unpack the demo’s contents too deeply. Even if PC isn’t your primary platform, the so-called ‘sketchbook’ demo is easily viewable online.

It’s with this in mind that I’ll simply recap that the demo sees protagonist Hugh and AI child companion Diana fight their way through various levels of a facility overrun by rogue robots. It took me around 25-minutes to complete, combining environmental puzzle solving with fast-paced, high-octanehigh octane action. It’s the latter that truly grabbed my attention.

Combat is both forgiving to master and somewhat complex. You’re essentially tasked with pulling off two roles. As Hugh, you’ll engage in the typical fare, using a variety of firearms to fend off foes, reloading as you do so whilst dodging incoming attacks. At the same time, as Diana, you’ll ‘hack’ said foes, essentially breaking down their defences allowing your shots as Hugh to be more effective. To hack, you’ll input button prompts to navigate a grid.

You don’t switch between the two characters. This is all done simultaneously, so you can see why I say that neither system is exactly complex, although paired together, they require a dab hand at multitasking. The system is exceptionally fun though and is easily a key part in how Pragmata has firmly regained my attention. I did say I wouldn’t delve too far into the contents of the demo, but it’s for good reason that I establish this context.

A Demanding Combat System Runs Flawlessly On Nintendo’s Hardware

Pragmata’s demo ends in a boss fight that I’m going to deem as being rather busy, in a good way that is. This boss was huge and, in fact, scratch those comparisons to Starfield and Mass Effect. It reminded me far more of what you might experience in one of Horizon Zero Dawn’s Cauldrons. And yet, despite the complexity of my foe’s movement and attacks combined with my own frenetic gameplay as both Hugh and Diana, Pragmata’s Nintendo Switch 2 port showed no signs of struggle.

I played through Pragmata’s demo in docked mode, and I could have just as easily been playing on, say, PC or PlayStation 5. There were no framerate drops, no visual stutters, nor was the game lacking in terms of graphical fidelity. Pragmata ran without flaws, and in doing so, it taught me something very important. This demo easily sold Pragmata to me, but it also reminded me that I shouldn’t overlook the Nintendo Switch 2’s power.

To date, I’ve mainly used my Nintendo Switch 2 as a means to enjoy first-party titles. I can’t say it’s exactly at the top of my console list when it comes to cross-platform releases though, and that's for no reason other than the fact that I constantly underestimate its power. The good news is that I know better now. Not only will I be picking up Pragmata, I might even do so on Nintendo Switch 2. I can’t think of a single reason not to.

Pragmata is set to launch on 24 April on Nintendo Switch 2, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.